Strengthening emergency department response to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear disasters: A scoping review.

Introduction: Natural hazards resulting in disasters are increasing globally, impacting communities and disrupting industries. In addition to planning for these natural hazard disasters, emergency departments (EDs) should prepare for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) incidents that result in surges of patient presentations. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents differ in preparedness to natural hazards, requiring an understanding of patient management and health system-related challenges.

Responding to COVID-19 on the outer islands of Tuvalu.

Problem: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reached Tuvalu's shores in November 2022, making Tuvalu one of the last countries in the world to experience community transmission of the disease. With minimal capacity to deliver critical care and a small health workforce that had been further depleted by COVID-19 infection, response priorities rapidly shifted to the outer islands.

Context: The outer islands are accessible only by boat, with travel taking from 6 to 24 hours.

Disaster preparedness among nurses in disaster-prone countries: A systematic review.

Background: Disaster preparedness is crucial for mitigating the impact of disasters and saving lives. Ensuring preparedness for disaster response and management, particularly among nurses in disaster-prone countries, is essential due to the serious threats disasters pose to affected populations. This study was conducted to appraise and synthesize the literature examining preparedness for disaster management and response among nurses in countries with the highest disaster risks.

Ensuring access to novel COVID-19 therapeutics in Pacific island countries and areas.

Problem: As of November 2022, over 417 397 confirmed cases and 2631 deaths related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were reported in Pacific island countries and areas (PICs). Most PICs have faced challenges accessing therapeutics recommended for the treatment of COVID-19 due to their high demand worldwide and supply chain constraints.

Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) coordinates and provides tailored technical and operational support to 21 PICs.

Implementation and use of a national electronic dashboard to guide COVID-19 clinical management in Fiji.

Problem: From April to September 2021, Fiji experienced a second wave of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) precipitated by the Delta variant of concern, prompting a need to strengthen existing data management of positive COVID-19 cases.

Context: With COVID-19 cases peaking at 1405 a day and many hospital admissions, the need to develop a better way to visualize data became clear.

Action: The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs collaborated to develop an online clinical dashboard to support better visualization of case management data.

Experiences of rural and remote nurses during and following disasters: a scoping review.

Introduction: Rural and remote nurses are often involved in disaster response. These nurses are faced with unique challenges in their daily practice due to geographical isolation and reduced resources. Nurses' roles and experiences in times of disaster have been discussed in the past; however, in the setting of rural and remote areas it remains largely underreported.

The impact of disasters on emergency department resources: review against the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015-2030.

Background: Emergency departments (EDs) are often first to feel the intra-hospital effects of disasters. Compromised care standards during disasters eventuate from increased demands on health resources; the facilities, supplies, equipment and manpower imperative for a functioning healthcare facility. Emergency departments must understand the effect of disasters on their health resources.

A feasibility study on disaster preparedness in regional and rural emergency departments in New South Wales: Nurses self-assessment of knowledge, skills and preparation for disaster management.

Background: Nurses who work in regional and rural hospitals face unique challenges to disaster preparedness and response. Geographical location and isolation, decreased resources and subsequent workforce, along with organizational and financial restraints are some of the hurdles these individuals and communities face [1,2].

Method: The Disaster Preparedness Evaluation Tool was applied a population of Regional and Rural Emergency Nurses in New South Wales.

Nurses' perceptions and experiences of caring for patients who die in the emergency department setting.

Introduction: The number of people dying in emergency departments (EDs) is increasing. However, EDs are not well designed or resourced for safe and effective End-Of-Life (EOL) care encounters, and there is little evidence regarding clinicians' perceptions and experiences of providing such care when the death is sudden and unexpected.

Aim: This study explored nurses' perceptions and experiences of caring for patients who die suddenly and unexpectedly in the ED.

Nursing faculty teaching characteristics as perceived by nursing students: an integrative review.

Aims: Nursing faculty members play a pivotal role in the achievement of nursing students' learning outcomes. A broader understanding of what constitutes effective teaching is essential in order to ensure that effective learning takes place in the clinical area. This review sought to identify the most and least effective nursing faculty characteristics as perceived by nursing students.

Existing Approaches to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) Education and Training for Health Professionals: Findings from an Integrative Literature Review.

Objectives: This review was conducted to explore the literature to determine the availability, content, and evaluation of existing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) education programs for health professionals.

Methods: An integrative review of the international literature describing disaster education for CBRN (2004-2016) was conducted. The following relevant databases were searched: Proquest, Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus, Journals @ OVID, Google Scholar, Medline, and Ichuschi ver.

Why a disaster is not just normal business ramped up: Disaster response among ED nurses.

Background: The emergency department (ED) is a familiar place for the emergency nurse who spends their working days inside it. A disaster threatens that familiarity and creates changes that make working in the ED during a disaster response different from the everyday experience of working in the ED.

Methods: This research reports on an aspect of the findings from a larger study about the experience of working as a nurse in the ED during a disaster response.

Emergency nurses' knowledge and experience with the triage process in Hunan Province, China.

Introduction: Triage is implemented to facilitate timely and appropriate treatment of patients, and is typically conducted by senior nurses. Triage accuracy and consistency across emergency departments remain a problem in mainland China. This study aimed to investigate the current status of triage practice and knowledge among emergency nurses in Changsha, Hunan Province, China.

Current status of emergency department triage in mainland China: A narrative review of the literature.

In this review, the current status of emergency department triage in mainland China is explored, with the purpose of generating a deeper understanding of the topic. Literature was identified through electronic databases, and was included for review if published between 2002 and 2012, included significant discussion of daily emergency department triage in mainland China, was peer reviewed, and published in English or Chinese. Thematic analysis was used to identify themes which emerged from the reviewed literature.

Ethical and legal challenges associated with disaster nursing.

Background: In disaster situations, nurses may face new and unfamiliar ethical and legal challenges not common in their everyday practice.

Research Question/objectives/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to explore Iranian nurses' experience of disaster response and their perception of the competencies required by nurses in this environment.

Research Design: This article discusses the findings of a descriptive study conducted in Iran in 2012.

Exploring staff willingness to attend work during a disaster: a study of nurses employed in four Australian emergency departments.

Background: Much of the literature about emergency nurses willingness to work during disasters has been from a non-Australian perspective. Despite the many recent disasters, little is known of Australian nurse's willingness to participate in disaster response. This paper presents findings from a study that explored nurses willingness to attend work during a disaster and the factors that influenced this decision.

Disaster content in Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses: a survey.

Background: Emergency nurses play a pivotal role in disaster relief during the response to, and recovery of both in-hospital and out-of-hospital disasters. Postgraduate education is important in preparing and enhancing emergency nurses' preparation for disaster nursing practice. The disaster nursing content of Australian tertiary postgraduate emergency nursing courses has not been compared across courses and the level of agreement about suitable content is not known.

Australasian emergency nurses' willingness to attend work in a disaster: a survey.

Background: The type of disaster, individual demographic factors, family factors and workplace factors, have been identified in the international, multidisciplinary literature as factors that influence a person's willingness to attend and assist in their workplace during a disaster. However, it is unknown if these factors are applicable to Australasian emergency nurses.

Aim: The research aims to determine the extent to which Australasian emergency nurses are willing to attend their workplace in a disaster.

Nursing in the emergency department (ED) during a disaster: a review of the current literature.

Background: The aim of this review was to explore the current literature about working as a nurse in the emergency department (ED) during a disaster. Nurses play an important role in caring for patients that present to the ED following a disaster. While there is a great deal of literature written about disasters and disaster response, little has been written from the emergency nursing perspective.

Infectious diseases following natural disasters: prevention and control measures.

Natural disasters may lead to infectious disease outbreaks when they result in substantial population displacement and exacerbate synergic risk factors (change in the environment, in human conditions and in the vulnerability to existing pathogens) for disease transmission. We reviewed risk factors and potential infectious diseases resulting from prolonged secondary effects of major natural disasters that occurred from 2000 to 2011. Natural disasters including floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, tropical cyclones (e.